Twenty one current and former University of California, Davis students have been awarded almost $1 million in a settlement with the University of California regents following a 2011 pepper spray incident. Viral outrage over the incident was sparked when videos and images of a U.C.-Davis officer spraying defenseless students were posted to the internet. The students, seen seated in a group, were participating in an Occupy protest to display their displeasure in increasing tuition prices and decreasing services. Each student will individually receive $30,000 as well as a handwritten apology from Linda Katehi, the chancellor at U.C. Davis. In addition to the settlement $630,000 was set aside for the 21 plaintiffs, another $250,000 will be issued to pay for legal fees and costs to the lawyers involved in the suit. Moreover, the suit has since been recognized as a class action and will offer portions of an additional $100,000 that has been set aside for any other students who come forward with claims of being sprayed.
As a recent college graduate, I can understand the backlash that surrounds this particular case. Had I been subjected to pepper spray while participating in a similar protest during my four years of school, I would have been just as quick to respond with a lawsuit. God only knows how my parents would have reacted. They definitely would have been upset to see their son maced in face (that rhymes). Luckily for me, however, Marist has a 60% female enrollment due to its renowned fashion program, so I had little to complain about during my time there.
